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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, June 20, 2008) – Political leaders in Papua New Guinea have no right to muzzle the media or gag debate in Parliament, Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet told the governance symposium at Divine Word University in Madang yesterday.

[PIR editor’s note: Madang is the capital of Madang Province, on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea’s mainland peninsula.]

In direct reference to the recent public outcry against constant gagging of debate in Parliament by the Speaker and the Government, and the Prime Minister’s threats against the media, Sir Arnold said under no circumstance should leaders attempt to muzzle the media or gag debate in Parliament.

"Debate must be allowed. The people have the right to know how you (the leaders) are conducting the leadership business," the former Chief Justice said in a fiery speech that attracted applause from the...

PAPEÉTE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, June 9, 2008) - The Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Center has been moved from Fiji to Samoa due to what Internet news sources described as "political instability" and "political uncertainty" in Fiji.

The new center has opened in Apia, Samoa, after having been based in Suva, Fiji for the past four years, FijiVillage.com reported on its Web site on Sunday (Saturday Tahiti time).

Fiji’s geographical location in the Pacific made it an ideal location and the decision to move out was premature, Ema Mua, public relations officer for the Fiji Police Force, told Fiji Times Online. "They should have known better because Fiji is the hub of the Pacific. We have an international airport and they will always fall back on Fiji."

The center’s board of management decided it had to be moved because of the ongoing instability...

SUVA, Fiji (Oceania Flash, June 17, 2008) - MATA’UTU - A ferry to provide more regular links between the French Pacific neighbor islands of Wallis and Futuna is currently in the financing phase with a request well-advanced with the French government.

Local Wallis and Futuna representatives submitted the project in May during a visit in Paris, where they met newly-appointed State Secretary for Overseas, Yves Jégo.

It is now being considered and could be given the go-ahead, subject to a tax exemption to be endorsed by the French ministry of finance.

The project, as it is currently described, would take the shape of an inter-island vessel that would provide container-carrying facilities and passenger transport featuring sleeping cabins.

It could also offer a link with Fiji.

"We have asked for a freight-passenger rotation for a frequency of at least three to four times a week. After...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 13, 2008) – Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has made it clear that under the Government’s land registration bill customary lands cannot be sold or owned as freehold property.

The final reading of the controversial bill is scheduled for Friday after Parliament today went through all the provisions including amendments.

The Prime Minister says no commercial bank would lend money if customary land was used as collateral knowing that under the provisions of the legislation the land couldn’t be sold to recover the funds.

It means the bank will only make a claim based on other valuable assets and not the land itself.

SAIPAN, CNMI (Mariana Variety, June 26, 2008) - A human rights activist says the Fitial administration’s planned lawsuit against the U.S. over the federalization law is futile and may just bury the CNMI people in debt.

"It is unlikely that anything will result from such a lawsuit except the CNMI will spend a great deal of money and waste valuable time fighting the federal government instead of working with them to shape the policies for the federal programs to be instituted in the CNMI," Wendy Doromal, a former Rota public teacher, told Variety in an e-mail.

Governor Benigno R. Fitial, who flew to the U.S. on Wednesday for a 10-day business trip, said the lawsuit "is necessary in the interests of the commonwealth and all of its residents."

Doromal also raised concern over the economic impact of the planned "economic injury" lawsuit to the finances of the cash-strapped CNMI government....

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, June 12, 2008) - Guadalcanal Province premier Stephen Panga and his executive have today confirmed they will allocate a piece of land for a disaster office at Doma as soon as they start building the new Headquarters.

He said work on the new headquarters will begin around August this year.

He said his government places huge importance on disaster management and as such has allocated thirty-thousand dollars as standby money in its budget, the first time a Guadalcanal Province government has done this.

Mr. Panga made this commitment in the National Disaster Management Office’s ongoing Provincial advocacy meetings this morning at the NDMO office.

The Guadalcanal Premier said the advocacy meeting with the NDMO was eye opening and "it’s the first time I and my Ministers realize that the Province has a lot to play in disaster management."

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, June 25m, 2008) - The National government’s newly created office of Climate Change and Environment Sustainability (OCC&ES) now has a director whose core responsibility is to get the office up and running.

Until his appointment, Dr. Theo Yasause was the chief of staff and economic adviser to the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. He gained considerable experience in project management while employed by the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva, Fiji, for the five years as trade policy adviser and project manager for the European Union-funded economic partnership program.

Yasause has excellent credentials with his national and international experience. He holds a PhD in International Trade and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in International Political Economy majoring in Corporatisation and Privatisation, a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Public Administration, a Diploma in...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Mariana Variety, June 3, 2008) - Senator Maria T. Pangelinan says the CNMI should delay the push for the proposed national marine monument for three of the Northern Islands in order to give local residents and the government more time to determine its viability.

In a recent interview, Pangelinan, D-Saipan and vice chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs, suggests at least five years wait period "and see how Hawaii benefited from its own national marine monument."

President Bush created the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument on June 15, 2006 after five years of research.

The Pew group is advocating for the establishment of a similar monument involving the northern islands of Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion.

Pangelinan said Pew’s proposed national monument does not state specific advantage for the local...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, June 26, 2008) - There is a call in the Indonesian region of Papua for a halt to all new forestry deals until laws have been passed to protect the rights of indigenous Papuans.

A coalition of 65 groups has come together to lobby the government on the matter.

At least 3 million hectares of forest in Papua have been converted to oil palm.

Jago Wadley from the Environmental Investigation Agency says forests are key to the survival of many Papuans.

"Papuans have an expression that the forest is their mother and also the forest is like a supermarket. Under the current activities happening in Papua large areas of forest will be cleared into monoculture plantations whether that be timber or oil palm or biofuel, so obviously the situation would dramatically impact on local Papuans."

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.